Sunday, July 10, 2011

Only for My King: Expressions

Only for My King's chapter three discusses surrendering our expressions to the Lord. How do I express ME to the world? Can I use that method of expression to express God's love? This is an excerpt from Day Two, titled "Working Together."

Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. (I Peter 4:10)

Last winter, I read an interesting concept for a skit at a women's retreat. I shared it with women's ministry leaders and they said, “That's a great idea! Do it!” (I think my ministry leaders are very gifted in the art of delegation.) I took the idea and wrote two skits, and I had an idea for a third: I wanted to demonstrate a devotional technique called “Praying in Color.” This can be as simple as writing a prayer list with colored pencils or coloring in a color book while meditating on scripture, but I wanted to demonstrate something a little more decorative. I can't draw, so I asked my friend Claudia to help me. She was very willing to do the drawing, but she really didn't want to do the talking. I asked another friend, Amanda, for help. We met to talk and drink tea, and Amanda took our ideas home, prayed through them and wrote a script. My husband was in charge of music at retreat; I suggested that we needed a few phrases that connected the next song to the skit. Amanda practiced, and Claudia planned a picture.

At retreat it all came together: Claudia drew a beautiful picture while Amanda read Scriptures and prayed, and Mark sang. The speaker shared a message that included some of the same verses we'd used. We all worked together, using our unique ways of expression, to create something and serve God.

Whatever your hands find to do, do with [all] your strength...(Ecclesiastes 9:10)Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's Body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. (Romans 12:4-5 LB)[I want] their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding, and have the knowledge of God's mystery—Christ. (Colossians 2:2) For it is God who is working in you, [enabling you] both to will and to act for His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

Read the last verse again. "It is God who is working in you." Surrender is not a burden to carry--it is a realization of the Source of our talents and strength, and a choice to honor Him.